Western Kentucky pays a visit to Louisville on Friday, hoping to send the Cardinals to a loss while covering the college basketball spread at KFC Yum! Center.

The Hilltoppers will try to spoil to the party on Friday; they are 3-8 ATS against the number this season, while the Cardinals are 4-3-1 ATS. Western Kentucky is 3-8 on the totals; Louisville is 2-6.



View Western Kentucky vs Louisville Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
College basketball odds makers opened the Cardinals as 26-point favorites in this matchupl.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
This game puts the Cardinals, most recently No. 40 in the Odds Shark power rankings, up against the Hilltoppers, who rate No. 223 in the latest survey. Meanwhile, math and computer-based handicapping simulations run on this game predict a potential 81-57 victory for the Cardinals.



How They Match Up:
Rating these schools in several key categories is important for handicappers and Louisville has the nation's No. 92-rated offensive output, at 73.5 PPG. The visiting Hilltoppers defense ranks No. 182 allowing on average 67 PPG. The Cardinals FG% has averaged 44.5% so far, more than the Hilltoppers marksmen have achieved on the year, 37.8% per game.

Defensively, Western Kentucky features the nation's No. 173-rated defense on the road, allowing 71 points per game. Louisville, meanwhile, comes in at No. 152 nationally in scoring at home.

Last time out for Western Kentucky, they were a 76-63 loser as they battled Furman at home. They failed to cover in the match as a 4.5-point favorite. Derrick Gordon scored 12 points in a futile effort to lead the Hilltoppers to a win (they lost 76-63 to Furman at EA Diddle Arena on Saturday).

In their last action, Louisville was a 69-62 Sportsbook at home against College of Charleston. They failed to cover the 17.5–point spread as favorites. Louisville earned a 69-62 victory over College of Charleston on Tuesday, getting 17 points from Kyle Kuric at KFC Yum! Center.


Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Trends:
When playing on Friday are 7-3
Before playing Louisiana-Monroe are 3-4
After a loss are 6-4

Louisville Cardinals Trends:
When playing on Friday are 8-2
Before playing Georgetown are 5-3
After playing College of Charleston are 1-0
After a win are 10-0

A few Hilltoppers at Cardinals trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Western Kentucky's last 9 games on the road
Western Kentucky is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Louisville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Louisville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Louisville is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Western Kentucky


Next up:
Western Kentucky at Louisiana-Monroe, Thursday, December 29
Louisville home to Georgetown, Wednesday, December 28